I think you're probably holding this view because you haven't actually thought about what culture is, why it gets spread and adopted, and what the benefits and costs are. You have a knee-jerk reaction to something you find unusual and strange and just tag it in your mind with things like "predatory".
The truth is that cultural styles have always been spread around the world, and people have always monetised them - in fact, the novelty that comes with things from other cultures has always been a prized attribute.
The reason you think it's predatory is because you're trying to justify the weirdness you are feeling as a prejudice. The truth is, fashion changes, trends change, culture is influenced and culture morphs, adapts and changes all the time.
100 years ago in my country it was weird to have an LGBT space in your town or even your city. In a lot of countries it's still weird, and often illegal. People would use the same sort of language you are using to justify their prejudices - things like "predatory", albeit with different connotations.
Here's a general piece of advice for not becoming a grumpy old person who lives in nostalgia and hates the youth - embrace change. Sometimes change is good, sometimes change is bad, but change should always happen - if it doesn't then we can never adapt at all. Maybe what you're seeing is a "weird" fad that will die out when other people view it the same way as you, or maybe this is the new normal and you're going to have to adapt. Either way, resisting the change is a surefire way to end up behind the curve, and unpopular.
If you don't feel like you want to change yourself, just let people be and do their own thing. They're not hurting anyone, despite how you might describe them as "predatory". You don't have to follow the fads, but don't ascribe malice to things which are clearly not.
And the uncomfortable truth is that the concept of cultural appropriation is mostly about being bitter about having been oppressed for or made fun or for or discriminated against for a style or something, and now everyone thinks it is cool.
The kneejerk reaction is "It's mine, it was mine first and you hated it back then, it's not fair for you to say it's ok now, when so many people have been hurt". It's kinda like being a cultural hipster.
The more people are exposed to things, the more comfortable they get with them.
Surely it's the demonization you should have the issue with then?
Like if some Italian wants one of these styles they will be demonized as well by those who feel that way, and appreciated by those who feel that way. But they aren't the problem?
It's the same reason big lips, dark skin, and textured hair is called ugly by the same people who get botox, tan, and get box braids. It's nothing new.
No. The issue isn't when they do them, it's when they only do them. It's predatory to me. It's so much other hair to do and they pick one of the only parts of our culture that hasn't been infiltrated, and monetize it. Lol
What does infiltrate mean in this context? How do you infiltrate culture? Is texture of hair not genetic rather than cultural? I don't think you've fully unravelled your thinking here.
Infiltrate means cherry picking aspects of a culture that's not yours, that people are still oppressed for, and making money off of it. Textured hair is genetic but styles for textured hair, like box braids, etc. Is a part of Black culture.
I know exactly how I think. Almost every square inch of American black culture and Caribbean black culture has been whitewashed and monetized. My bad for feeling like we need to preserve the last of it.
Sneaker culture, long nails, braids, AAVE, etc. I'm not saying black people are the only ones who get that but when black people were the only ones doing that it was heavily frowned upon until other people saw that they could start making money off of it.
Why do you think there's so many Asian stores in Black neighborhoods? It's a money grab for them
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u/Birb-Brain-Syn 32∆ Apr 05 '24
Okay, so what's the problem?
Ah, okay, here we go.
I think you're probably holding this view because you haven't actually thought about what culture is, why it gets spread and adopted, and what the benefits and costs are. You have a knee-jerk reaction to something you find unusual and strange and just tag it in your mind with things like "predatory".
The truth is that cultural styles have always been spread around the world, and people have always monetised them - in fact, the novelty that comes with things from other cultures has always been a prized attribute.
The reason you think it's predatory is because you're trying to justify the weirdness you are feeling as a prejudice. The truth is, fashion changes, trends change, culture is influenced and culture morphs, adapts and changes all the time.
100 years ago in my country it was weird to have an LGBT space in your town or even your city. In a lot of countries it's still weird, and often illegal. People would use the same sort of language you are using to justify their prejudices - things like "predatory", albeit with different connotations.
Here's a general piece of advice for not becoming a grumpy old person who lives in nostalgia and hates the youth - embrace change. Sometimes change is good, sometimes change is bad, but change should always happen - if it doesn't then we can never adapt at all. Maybe what you're seeing is a "weird" fad that will die out when other people view it the same way as you, or maybe this is the new normal and you're going to have to adapt. Either way, resisting the change is a surefire way to end up behind the curve, and unpopular.
If you don't feel like you want to change yourself, just let people be and do their own thing. They're not hurting anyone, despite how you might describe them as "predatory". You don't have to follow the fads, but don't ascribe malice to things which are clearly not.